Oxygen inhaling assembly



Dec- 23, 1941- A; w. ADoLPHsEN ETAL 2,267,009 l OXYGEN INHALING ASSEMBLY f Filed Feb. 19, 1940 l x l ATTORN Y Patented Dec. z3, 194i j Albert W. Adolphsen and Charles Welty, Kansas City, Mo., assignors to Puritan Compressed Gas Corporation, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application February 19, 1940, serial No.4 319,563

(c1. 12s-iss) 3Claims.

Our invention relates to an oxygeninhaling assembly and more particularly to an assembly adapted to be used for supplying oxygen to patients in need of the same, as for example .those suilerlng from pneumonia.

This application is an improvement over Patent 2,166,574, to Albert W. Adolphsen, one of the joint inventors herein.

Patients to whom oxygen is being administered are usually weak. I'he ongen is usually administered through an elongated flexible conduit in the form of a rubber tube or the like. It sometimes happens that a patient will roll -over and obstruct the iiow of gas through the tube and, in such cases, the patient will not receive required oxygen since an attendant may not always be present.

It is also of vital importance, especially in the administration of some gases and where a patients heart is weak, that an accurate means be provided for determining the rate of flow of the gas being administered.

One object of our invention is to provide a handy assembly for supplying oxygen to a patient .through a reducing valve and humldifying construction, in which, whenever the oxygen line becomes clogged up for any reason, a warning signal will be emitted.

Another object of our invention is to provide an assembly in which the rate of iiow of the oxygen or other gas being administered may be readily, expeditiously and accurately determined.

Other and further objects of our invention will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing which forms part of the instant speciiication and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views;

Figure l is a perspective view of our assembly, 4

viewed from the iront.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of our assembly with parts in section.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing our sounding device for indicating the stoppage in the oxygen line to the patient. y

Figure 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on a line l-I of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing, we provide a casing I which may be made out of any suitable material. The casing is fitted with a head 2, secured thereto by screws 3 or in any other suitable manner. A gasket l is provided for forming a gas-tight joint. A pipe I is suspended from the head 2 and is provided at its lower end with a plurality of openings 6, communicating with a plurality oi felt washers 1. Water 8 half lls the casing I, the lower end of the pipe I and the humidifying felt washers 1 being submerged in the water. A baille! is suspended in the casing,

-forcing humidied gases to pass through a reentrant portion I0 formed in the head 2 so that any entrained water will be freed from the gases before they pass into the tube Il, leading to the mask I2 which is tted over the nose and mouth of the patient.

' A gauge glass I2' communicates with the casing I and is adapted to show the level "i the water 8 therein.

Referring now to Figure 2, the compressed gas is contained in a cylinder I3 controlled by a valve Il. The lpressure of the compressed gas is shown by gauge I5. .The gas passes to a doublestage reducing valve I6 and thence through a novel gauge I1 whence it is conducted through a trap I8 into the pipe 5 for humidcation and passage to the patient. The gauge I'I comprises a gaugeglass I8' which is provided with a tapered bore; that is, the lower end of the glass bore is of smaller cross-sectional diameter than the upper end ofthe glass bore. A metal ball i9 is positioned within the glass. As the oxygen ilows through the gauge glass, the ball-is forced upwardly. As the ball travels upwardly, an increasingly greater cross-sectional area is provided for the passage of .the gas through the space between the ball and the internal walls of the gauge glass. The arrangement is such that the position of the ball will indicate the flow of the gas in liters per minute. The gauge glass is set into a casting 2li and carries a calibrated scale 2|. The backing for the gauge glass is shaped as shown in Figure 4 with the sides tapered toward the line of sight. The arrangement is such that the scale can be read from either side as well as from in front.

Referring now to Figure 3, the head 2 is provided with a bore 22 communicating with the casing I. A diaphragm 23 is normally seated against a seat 24 by means of a spring 25. As -long as the tube II leading to the patient is free, gas will flow normally. If, for any reason,

the tube II becomes clogged up, such asby compression oi' the flexible tube by the patient or another, the gas can no longer escape through pipe Il and pressure will build up within the casing. As soon as pressure begins to build up. the diaphragm 23 will begin to lift. releasing the gas from the casing for passage through duct 26 to the atmosphere. The arrangement is such,

however, that the diaphragm will vibrate, emitting a sound similar to that of an air horn. The sound immediately warns the attendant that the patient is not getting oxygen due to the obstruction o! the eduction flow from the casing.

It will be seen that we have accomplished the objects of our invention. We have provided -an assembly for administering humidiiled medicinal gases to patients in which both a visible and an audible means are providedfor indicating the stoppage of ilow of the gases to the patient. The audible signal device also acts to relieve Vpressure within the casing I. The visible signal is auch that the scale can be read from a plurality of angles and the position of the ball will. indicate as well the amount of gasiiowing. in liters per minute.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and maymbe ern-V. ployed without reference to other features andsub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope oi our claims. I t is, further obvious that various changes may bemade in deble signal means terminating at the diaphragm outside the area contacted by the spring, and a second passage providing communication between said diaphragm and the atmosphere terminating beneath the diaphragm and covered by the bottorn area or the spring, the construction being such that when said diaphragm is vibrating, sas within said casing acting to vibrate the diaphragm may pass through said passages to the atmosphere.

2. A gas inhaling assembly as in claim 1, including in combination a reducing valve between said humidifying means and said source of compressedgas, means providing communication between said reducing valve 'and said humidiiying means, said last means including a vertical transparent tube provided with 'an internally tapered bore; a bali in said'tube, 'a5 calibrated scale provided with a recess, said tube being set into said tails within the scope of our claims without departing from the spirito! our invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described..-`

Having thus described our invention, we-claim:

l. In a gas inhaling assembly, a humidifier including in combination a casing adapted to contain water, means for humidifying gas positioned within said casing and submerged in said water, a source of compressed gas, means providing communication between said source of gas and said humidifying means, means for-withdrawing humidied gas from said casing for passage to a patient, audible signal means, a passage providing communication between said casing and said audible signal means. said audible signal means including a. vibratory diaphragm and a spring centrally positioned with respect thereto for preventing said diaphragm from vibrating until al predetermined pressure lacts upon said diaphragm, said passage from the casing to the audi-V recess whereby the calibrations may be read from a'plu-rallty of angles, the constructionbeing'such that the position of the ball will visiblyindicate the rate of iiow of the gas.

3. In a gas inhaling assembly a humidifier including in combination a casing adapted to contain water, a source of compressed gas, means providing communication between said source of gas andthe casing, means for withdrawing humidiiied gas from said casing for passage to patients, audible signal means comprising a diaphragm and a spring centrally positionedrwith respect thereto, a passage providing communication between said casing and said audible signal means terminating beneath the diaphragm outside the area contacted by the spring, a second passage terminating at the diaphragm and covered .by the bottom area of the spring providing communication between said diaphragm and the atmosphere, the construction being such that obstruction tothe passage of gas through the outlet passages will cause venting of gas through the audible signal means.

ALBERT W. ADoLPHsEN. CHARLES WELTY. 

